heartbreak

noun

heart·​break ˈhärt-ˌbrāk 

: crushing grief, anguish, or distress

has had more than her share of heartbreak

Synonyms of heartbreak

• sorrow
• grief
• anguish

Examples of heartbreak in a Sentence

He recently suffered a string of romantic heartbreaks.

I understand the heartbreak you must feel over your grandmother's death.

Recent Examples on the Web

The terror that day left a trail of anxiety and heartbreak that lingered long after the shooting at the high school in Parkland ended with 17 people killed. —Kamye Hugley, Sun Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026

Saturday could see more heartbreak for fans (or optimism) with three upset winners scheduled to play top seeds. —Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026

The blue-haired Texan powered through a set of passionate heartbreak songs. —Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026

Journey, anchored by huge rock soundscapes and powerhouse vocals, gave highs and heartbreaks an epic soundtrack. —Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for heartbreak

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• eastlake
• forsake
• handshake
• headache

Kids Definition

heartbreak

noun

heart·​break -ˌbrāk 

: crushing grief, anguish, or distress

heartbreaking

-ˌbrā-kiŋ

adjective

heartbreakingly adverb

heartbroken

-ˌbrō-kən

adjective